Brotherly Love
by The Scarlet Rose
Summary: The Ring of Abrension isn’t something that should fall into the wrong hands. But when Angel and Xander go to steal it one night, they find someone else there with the same idea in mind. Enter the thief, assassin and Angel's baby brother Bull’s Eye.
1. Chapter 1

"Xander, I understand you don't like him, but with Buffy's being gone, we need someone with his skill."

"Skill?" Xander scoffed "I could take him."

Giles raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so, maybe I only could in my dreams but still... I don't feel right going on a big job with a killer."

"Ex-killer."

"We don't know that."

Giles's rolled his eyes.

"The Ring of Abrension is a very delicate and dangerous object, I want it in skilled hands, not in the hands of an eighteen year old boy."

"Eighteen and a half."

Giles scoffed, Xander sighed and relented.

"Okay, I'll work with him... but he'd better not get in my way."

"Just stay out of my way and everything'll go fine."

"But--"

"Just shut up, and do exactly as I tell you."

"I vaguely remember..."

"Did you not catch the shutting up part?"

Xander rolled his eyes.

"I remember being the one in charge here."

"Xander, you're an eighteen year old boy, who cannot read a map. You lack the skills needed to break into a top-security auction house vault."

"I can read a map just fine."

Angel rolled out the map.

"Where are we and how do we get to the control room?"

Xander stared at the map, determined to prove "Dead Boy" wrong. But, it was all gibberish to him. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Angel, committing the map to memory, rolled it back up and stuffed it into his bag.

"Why are we stealing this thing anyway?"

"Because, we don't want something that holds that much power falling into the wrong hands."

"Remind me not to let you touch it."

Angel sighed. He really wished Buffy was here right now. The two moved down the corridor, following Angel's instructions, careful to avoid security cameras.

At last, they reached the control room. Angel sighed and looked around.

"Top security my a--"

"Let's just get to work." Xander said, coolly. Just before he tripped.

Angel put his head in his hand and shook it for a moment, then looked up, to see what had made Xander fall.

It was a Chinese Star, but something about it made Angel's heart race (well it would've if it could've.). It was inscribed with a target. Angel traced his finger across it.

"Bull's eye." He murmured

"Hey Dead Boy, we are doing a job here--"

Xander caught the look in Angel's eye as he carefully turned the star over in his fingers.

"What is it?"

"Bull's eye." He murmured again, then shoved the star into his pocket. "We gotta work quicker now. We got company."

"Who?"

To that, Angel didn't answer. He moved over to the control board and sat in a chair, that was supposed to be occupied by a guard. Angel felt the small trace of body heat remaining. Some one had been sitting there not too long ago. But there wasn't a sign of a struggle. Only a skilled warrior could've gotten rid of them so fast.

Angel turned his attention to the board. Then, for whatever odd reason, ran his hand under it to the wires. Something... he bent down to look at it.

"A bug." Angel said

"Where?"

Angel rolled his eyes and gestured towards the small piece of machinery in his hands.

"Someone planted this, it's routed to a controller some where. Like I said, we've got company."

Angel looked up to the screen displaying the security cameras. Every few seconds, one would go out, then come back on a beat later, the hallway or room empty. Someone was moving through them. Angel ran his hands across the control board.

"What are you doing?"

"There's another thief here." Angel said "And I'll bet you, they're stealing The Ring."

Angel managed to pull up the room that The Ring was being kept in. It was laser guarded, but someone, sure enough was skillfully moving through them. Angel sighed and folded his hands.

"Bull's eye." He murmured again "Someone's doing our work for us. All we have to do is catch him on the way out."

And with that, Angel stood, and walked away.

Angel was trailing the thief. He was as fast as Angel was, and just as stealthy. Angel sighed, Xander panted heavily as he tried to keep up.

"I know someone's there." Said the thief "Come out and play."

Angel jumped down from his hiding place and lunged at the thief, who ducked and flipped Angel over his shoulder. Angel brought out his broad sword. And swung it. He heard Xander loading his crossbow. Angel stood face to... mask, with the thief, who paused as he stared at Angel. Then Angel lunged at him, and as he expected the thief dodged, every attack Angel made, the thief seemed to block or dodge. Angel tripped the thief and brought his sword down to just above his throat.

"Bull's eye." He said again

He then let the thief up. Xander prepared to launch an arrow when the thief waved his hand and the crossbow floated into the air. Xander prepared to lunge, and Angel stopped him.

"Hold it."

He turned to the thief.

"Dave, what the hell are you doing?"

The thief sighed, and removed his mask. Xander's eyes widened as he took in the face. Chiseled good looks, dark hair, but startling blue eyes. He looked almost exactly like Angel. Except, younger."

"I'm working Liam, what the hell does it look like?"

"Give me The Ring."

"No."

"David." Angel said crossly "Give it."

"Get your own."

"Uh... guys." Xander interrupted "What the hell is going on?"

"Xander, this is David, my little brother."

There was a moment of silence. Then Xander spoke up.

"Wah?"

Angel sighed.

"It's complicated. I'll explain some day--"

He looked down at David.

"You've got blood on your hand."

"It's not mine."

"Is the person alright?"

"I imagine not."

Angel raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off.

"I need that Ring."

"So do I."

"Trust me I need it more."

"Bite me, I have to pay rent for the past three months."

"I'll spot you the money."

"I also owe several bookies, and there are more people looking to break my legs than hairs on my head. I need the money."

"I need to save the world."

"Well hey, if the world ends, I get to keep my ear."

"I'll spot you the money." Angel said tensely

"You don't have that much."

"How would you know?"

David raised an eyebrow.

"Oh... well... I can get it."

"Angel. Just let me get the cash for this, and then I'll steal it back and you can have it."

"Listen, the people who want this want to use it to kill everybody. Dave, I need this."

David sighed. Then none the less handed over the bag containing the ring. Angel nodded his thank you.

"I still need the money Angel."

"I'll take care of it."

"You'll take care of all my problems?"

"Don't I always?"

At this, David sighed, and nodded.

"Always."


	2. Chapter 2

"I say, this is extraordinary-- I--- you---"

"This is the point where he gets too British to form words." Willow piped up

Angel smiled softly and looked over to David, who was beaming his perfect smile at Willow. Angel mouthed '_taken'_. David sighed and turned his attention back to Giles. Angel looked at David, who looked a lot different from last night, dressed down in his jeans, tennis shoes and 'My Friend went to Florida and all I got was this Fing T-shirt' T-shirt.

Giles cleared his throat.

"You say, you're not twins?"

The brothers shook their head.

"You do look an awful lot alike." Oz said, not looking up from his finger nails

David looked down at him.

"You don't talk much do you?" He asked

Oz shrugged.

"Yet, you always managed to get your point across huh? You may be a taciturn, but you've got a pretty opinionated mind."

Once again, Oz shrugged.

"Stop the physic crap." Angel muttered

"It's not physic crap if you're a physic."

"You're a physic?" Giles asked, looking up from The Ring.

"Yeah." David said "On some basic level... I can read your mind and kind of possess you..." David sighed "I can do some hypnotizes too."

"Wait." Xander said "Possess? You can possess us?"

"Well, not right off the back, it takes a bit, usually a couple of minuets."

"Cool." Willow replied

David sighed and lowered his head. Angel looked down at him. He was listening, someone was in his head. He shifted uncomfortably, then looked up.

"Hate to break up the Scooby Meeting, but I've got to go."

"But you just got here." Willow said

"And you should finish that story about that break in into the safe at a nudist resort." Xander said

David laughed as he headed out of the library.

"'Nother time Xan."

Angel sighed.

"I'm gonna go." He replied, following him

No one objected.


	3. Chapter 3

Angel followed David to the outskirts of town, where he met with a bunch of demons. Angel didn't get a good look at them, they were robed, but from the look on David's face, he really didn't like them, and he really really didn't want to be there.

"Did you get The Ring?" One of them asked

"Almost, it was in my hands." David replied

"And?" Asked another

"It... I ran into some trouble."

"What happened to the ring?"

"It was taken from me."

Angel listened further. _'Come on Dave'_ he thought.

"But I can get it back, it'll just take some time."

"Time is what we are running out of." Said the largest demon, who stood towering at least a foot and a half over David.

"I'll get it." David said

"I hired you because of your expertise." Continued the demon "But I'm staring to doubt you Bull's eye."

"I won't fail you. Just give me some time."

The demon sighed.

"But in the meantime, make yourself useful."

He handed David a folder, Angel tried to look at the contents, but, from his spot on the roof, he was too far away to see what it was. David looked at the page, and his face went pale. He closed the folder back and handed it to the demon.

"I don't do that any more."

"I think you do." Said the demon, as the other demons pressed in on David "Do this, and maybe I'll feel a little gracious."

David sighed, then took the folder back, he nodded.

"Good, good."

David's eyes went blank. Something was seriously wrong.

"Who's the mark?"

"Does it matter?"

David paused, and shook his head no.

"Good. Now, I liked the work you did with those guards last night, that was brilliant, swift and quick. Now, this man, some pain would be nice, but don't go out of your way. Just make sure there's no evidence. I want him gone without a trace."

David nodded, and turned to leave.

"And Bull's eye."

David stopped.

"You know the price of failure."

David sighed. He did.

"Bull's eye..." One of the demons asked "Why do they call you Bull's eye? I never knew."

With lightening fast speed David reached into his jacket and pulled out four Chinese stars and threw them. Two landed in the eyes, one in the neck, and one in the heart. The thing dropped dead before it realized what happened.

"Now you do. I don't miss."

And with that, he turned and left. About ten blocks later, David turned off into an alley and fell over, vomiting. He began to tremble. Angel wanted to help, but then he'd know he was following him, and Angel wouldn't get to see what happened next.

David walked to a park, and there stood a man.

"You Bill?" David asked

The man nodded.

"Are you who I'm supposed to meet?"

David didn't answer.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Name's Bull's eye."

David summoned up a sword, and with that, he drove the sword into Bill's chest. Poor bastard didn't even get a chance to scream. He was dead with in a heart beat. The sword disappeared and David bent over and dragged the body into the woods, Angel knew that lead to the river. A little while later, David came out, hands covered in blood.

_Your hand has blood on it_

_It's not mine._

David stood there for a moment, thinking about what he'd just done.

_Is the person alright?_

_I imagine not._

And then David fell over, vomiting and crying.

_I don't do that anymore._

_Oh, I think you do._

Angel closed his eyes tightly.

"Oh Dave." He murmured "What have you gotten yourself into?"

_I liked the work that you did on those guards last night. It was brilliant, swift and quick._

David looked down at his bloody hands in disbelief, and then, got up and walked back to Angel's mansion. Angel followed, where he watched David rinse the blood in the fountain and adjust his clothes and hair in his reflection in the water. He wiped the tears from his face and wiped his mouth on the back of his hands. Angel hurried into the mansion and sat on the couch, and watched David come in.

"Hey Dave."

"Hey Big Bro." David said "I'm wicked tired."

"Long night?"

It took David a moment to answer this. His eyes were blank for a moment, then he answered.

"Not particularly."

"What'd you do?"

"Nothin' much, went around."

"Have fun?"

Once again, it took David a moment to answer, as his eyes went blank and he relived his murder. Then he joked:

"In this town?"

Angel sighed.

"I'll take the couch..."

"No, I'll take it."

"You're a guest."

"All the more reason for me to... you mean to tell me that all these rooms and you don't have a spare bedroom."

Angel sighed and rolled his eyes, then pointed to a room across the hall. David sighed.

"Night Bro." He yawned

"Night." Angel said "Sweet dreams."

David stopped in his walk for a moment, the continued on to the room.


	4. Chapter 4

It was late afternoon before David finally came out of his room. He looked worn out in his baggy khakis and 'I smile because I have no idea what's going on' T-shirt.

"Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence." Angel said

"Huh?"

"You've been in your room all day."

"Oh."

David plunked on the couch near Angel and began to fiddle with his bare feet.

"Wanna go out tonight?"

David shook his head.

"Oh come on, you're in town, how rare is this? I never get to see you."

To that, Angel got no response. He looked as if he'd just lost his best friend... or killed him.

"Dave." Angel said softly

David brought his amazingly blue eyes up to meet his older brothers.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

David shook his head.

"There's nothing." He replied "Nothing is wrong. I'm just tired. Been traveling for quite sometime." Then he smiled softly "It's really nice to see you. Know that you're in one piece."

Angel smiled. David stood.

"I missed you." He said softly.

Angel nodded.

"Likewise."

David shook a bit.

"Well, enough with the sappy stuff..."

But then he fell to his knees, clutching his head. His eyes stared out in terror. He was having a vision. He gasped, Angel ran to him, grabbing his shoulders to keep him from jerking violently. He then stared at his hands.

"BLOOD ON MY HANDS!" He shrieked, and moved away from Angel, rocking himself in the corner "It won't come clean."

He began to scratch himself. Angel moved to him, moving his hand.

"Stop it, you'll hurt yourself."

"Pain is punishment."

"Have you done something to deserve punishment?"

"Blood on my hands." He said again "Cries of pain. They beg and cry out for mercy. There shall be none."

Angel was reminded of how Drusillia was when she had a premination. It was also how she was all day every day. Loony.

"Who cries out?" Angel asked

"Faceless, nameless souls. Such soft flesh. Like butter. One poke and all their insides fall out."

He was reliving how he'd killed.

"So much blood. Blood on my hands not mine."

"Dave." Angel murmered "I'm so sorry."

David blinked, snaping out of his vision. Then he stood.

"What happened?" He asked, dazed

"You don't remember?" Angel asked

David shook his head.

"No."

"Oh." Angel said "You had a vision."

"Oh."

"You're a mercinary aren't you?"

"What?" He asked, shocked

Angel too, was surprised at how quickly and suddenly he'd brought it up, but something had to be said to help him.

"You're a mercenary for hire. An assassin."

"No I'm not."

"David, you just told me."

David lowered his eyes.

"I don't kill people."

"You do. I saw you last night. You came in with blood on your hands."

David moved away.

"No, you're lying."

"You stabbed that guy right through the heart, brutal and quick huh Dave? Don't like to hear 'em scream?"

"I haven't killed anyone!"

"Oh really? What about the guards two nights ago?" Angel replied, stepping in front of David "You stab them through the heart too? Did your blade go through them like butter? Did you hit your perfect mark, Bull's eye?"

"Stop."

"Did they scream? Did they try and fight? Beg and cry out for mercy? Did you show them some?"

"Please?"

"No, of course you didn't. Because what fun would that be? Letting them go? No, you killed them all didn't you? Their bloods still on your hands."

David pushed Angel back so fiercely that Angel fell to the floor.

"No!"

"You can scrub and scrub until your skin comes off and you can scrub some more. Rinsing and rinsing and watching the blood fade away. No matter what you do, there's always some left!"

"Stop it! Stop it! Just stop!"

David colasped in a heap of tears on the floor.

"I can't take it anymore."

Angel moved to him.

"I wanted to stop. I tried, but it seems like the harder I try to keep out of trouble, the more I get into it."

"Dave let me help you."

"And I keep trying to stop, and be right and make things right but I can't. I can't. I keep falling Angel. I keep slipping. And I can't keep holding on."

Angel sighed. There was a moment of silence.

"David." Angel said "I know you've never been great at taking care of yourself. And that you tend to get into trouble. The really bad kind. And, I've always been there. To take care of you, to catch you. Why didn't you just come to me?"

David stood.

"Because, I always run to you!"

"So?"

"So?" David asked "So? I am two-hundred and some change and I don't need to run to you. Look, I am I'm not that little nine year old boy who needs his big brother to come and save him. I don't need you to catch me anymore. All my life, I've run to you, because you were my brother, you were supposed to take care of me. Or so I thought."

"I am supposed to. I--"

"No! You're not! Angel, I'm a man now! I'm not that tiny nine year old boy that I was back in Galaway! I don't need you to carry me through life. I have to learn to stand on my own, and how to take care of myself. I can't always run to you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong! I'm not supposed to depend on you to take care of everything. To come with the light and sword and fight away all of the monsters. I'm not a little boy Liam! I--"

He faultered.

"I'm all grown up." He finnished, speaking more to himself than to Angel.

"But part of being a grown up is knowing when to ask for help."

At this, David didn't reply. He simply silenced. And stared at him.


	5. Chapter 5

Giles plunked a book in front of David.

"Are these your demons?"

David nodded.

"One in the same."

"Ah... the K-- Ch-- B--" He stopped, trying to figure out how to say the name "From the clan of--" His eyes widened as he looked at the page, then turned away. "They're warriors. Brutal."

"You sure know how to pick 'em. Huh David?" Angel asked

He shrugged.

"Yeah. I guess so."

Angel smiled.

"But, we'll take care of this, together. I we know everything there is to know on these guys, enough to wipe them out..."

David stood.

"You're not comming with me."

Angel stood.

"What?"

David stared back at him, decked out in black, black jeans, jacket and tee shirt. Black boots that Angel could've sworn where his.

"You're not comming with me."

Angel laughed.

"You're kidding right?"

"No."

Angel laughed again.

"Oh." He said "But... I have to go."

"No, you don't."

"Not this again."

"Liam." He said, softly "Back in Galaway, there was this huge Weeping Willow, must've been at least 30 ft. God, about 200 hundred years old. And the branches were all weird and twisted. Do you remember that?"

"I remember."

"Yeah, if you climbed to the top, you could see all of Galaway, which then, and possibly now, wasn't much to see. All the big boys used to climb it, make bets on who could go the highest. You always won."

Angel laughed softly, remembering.

"And... I was... always to little to climb. Always too small. And I got sick of it. So, one day, to prove that I was just as tough as you, I climbed. And climbed. But what I didn't know, and didn't think to find out, was that, what made that tree so terrifing to climb, was the fact that it was so old, and that half of the branches were rotted, and I, unlike you, didn't know which ones. So, I'm up there climbing and climbing. Thinking this is so easy... and sure enough, the branches gave out, and I fell."

David paused for a moment, staring off into no where.

"I would've broken my neck, but, somehow you were under the tree, and just before I hit the ground, you caught me." David brought his true blue eyes up to Angel's dark brown "Do you remember that?"

Angel nodded.

"I remember."

"I never told anyone. Not a soul. But for some reason, all my life I keep thinking about that moment. And what would've happen if you hadn't been standing at the bottom, if you hadn't caught me, and I caught myself. I keep wondering how I would've felt. So for once, could you just let me stand on my own?"

Angel stared blankly at him.

"I'm grateful, I really am. I just need to learn to catch myself. Ya know?"

There was silence between the two brothers. No one knew what to say. Angel felt obliged to take care of him, to tell David to just shut up and let him deal with this. But then again. David wasn't a little boy any more. He was a man and Angel had to let him stand on his own.

"This is just something I have to do myself."

Angel nodded in agreement and respect.

"I get that."

And with that, David turned to leave.

"I didn't say I wasn't going to follow you."

"I know. And knowing you, you probably will."

And he kept walking. After he left, Angel stood, slid into his coat and began to follow. Once again, no one objected.


	6. Chapter 6

"Bull's eye, how nice of you to join us."

Dave stood in front of the tallest robbed demon, bloody sword in hand, but not a scratch on him. He was an amazing fighter. He fought with his physic powers and magic, also many different fighting tecniques that Angel had taken years to master.

"Sorry I can't say the same." David said, cocking his head to the side.

"You murdered my guards." He said

"Indeed I did."

"Took them out with a swift slice of your sword. You really don't miss do you?"

"Haven't in a long time."

The demon paced slowly.

"You killed about what, twenty?"

"Actually twenty-three."

"Oh." Said the demon, sizing David up and down "But you do know, for however many you kill, more will follow. My legion is eternaly Bull's eye."

There was an explosion and the shock wave was powerful enough to send the demon flying. Then came another and another. But David never budged, he just stood there, waiting. Angel watched from high up in the rafters of the warehouse.

"Not anymore."

The demon stood, angered. But, that's what it would appear. Actually, the demon was afraid. The stench of fear rose high up into the rafters to greet Angel, who smiled softly.

"Just you and me."

"David, you don't want to do this." said the demon

"Oh, I think I do." He said, pacing around the demon, blade held upwards at an angle behind him "And, you don't call me David. My name is Bull's eye."

"Such an interesting name."

"Tonight I'm gonna prove I'm worthy of it."

"You'll die standing. This'll be the time you don't hit your mark."

"Try me."

The demon growled and rushed him. David fell to his back just before the demon reached him and jabbed his sword into the air as the demon flew over him. He growled in pain and reached up, holding his stomach. David stood up, dusting himself off from the dirt floor.

"Come on Tao, you're not quitting on me already?" David asked

"Wait till I get my hands on you boy!"

"Is it me or did that not sound right?"

The demon Tao jumped at him and David kicked him in mid sprint. Tao flew back. Then he laughed.

"Is that the best you got?"

"Newsflash. Who's winning this fight?"

Tao laughed and reached inside his robe, he pulled out a glowing egg shaped object. Angel assumed it to be a bomb. He was right.

"You should really learn to play dirty Bull's eye."

With lightening speed David grabbed some dirt from the floor and tossed it into Tao's eyes. He growled and reached up his hands to rub his eyes. He dropped the bomb. It began to glow brighter.

"Oh crap." David murmered

Tao swung at David who murmered something, Tao disappeared, and reappeared behind him. David back kicked Tao, mentally caught him in the air and slammed him to the ground.

There was another explosion and David, loosing focus, flung Tao further away from him. Tao laughed.

"I told you, you won't win tonight."

David picked up his bloody samurai sword and glared at Tao.

"You can't disarm the bomb. Only I can, and there is no way you'll be able to get out of here before it explodes. And my will affects that too."

And with that, Tao began to run. David pulled a dagger from his side. And like a dart thrower, took aim.

"Come on Bull's eye." Angel murmered "Come on."

David kept on staring at his back. And then, a smile came to his face.

"Bull's eye." He murmered, and flung the dagger, it hit Tao, who was just reaching the door, in the back of the head.

He smiled, softly, moved to him, pulled out his dagger, wiped it on the back of Tao's robe and tucked it back at his side. And moving like the thief he is, with blinding speed he was out the window, as was Angel. Moments later, the warehouse exploded.

"So guys, I miss anything?" Asked Buffy, picking at a jelly filled donut.

Her and Willow were sitting in the park, munching out after some shopping.

"No. Not really." Lied Willow

"Have you seen Angel?" Buffy asked

"Earlier, he said to tell you 'Hi' and that he had some stuff to do today."

"Such as?"

"Well."

"Well."

Good-byes were never easy. But this one was especially hard. David faced Angel, his abnormally blue eyes shining. They stood in the shade at the bus station.

"That's my bus... I should probably go." said David

"Yeah." replied Angel "You should."

There was a silence.

"You know you just got into town, you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, you should meet Buffy, she's amazing."

"I'm sure she is." said David, sighing "But, as you know, trouble seems to follow me and I've already brought enough of it to the tiny town of Sunnyhell."

Angel laughed.

"I missed you." He said

"Me too. It was good seeing you."

"Yeah."

David smiled.

"I should--"

"Go?"

"Uh huh."

Angel nodded in agreement.

"I really should, before we start getting all sappy... then it's gonna lead to hugging and we just can't have that."

Angel smiled and took David's hand into his. He felt the strenght and power there.

"I'm proud of you."

"Thank you."

David looked over his shoulder, and adjusted the bag that he held there.

"If you ever need anything--" Angel began

"Angel don't--"

"I'm serious. If you ever need anything, whether it's money or help or a place to crash. I'm here for you. You know that? You can always come to me."

He nodded.

"Besides." Angel said, rusteling David's spikey hair "I'm still your big brother damn it, whether you like it or not."

David grinned. And with that he turned to walk. Then turned around

"I'll be in touch." He said, touching his fingers to his head

"Good."

The two brothers turned away from each other and walked about fifteen feet when...

"Oh what the hell." The said, running back and embracing each other

And then they released each other as if nothing had happened. And David kept on walking. And Angel was, as always and forever shall be, right behind him.


End file.
